Globetrotter game brings back fond memories for Gillispie

Billy Gillispie was as excited as any other fan inside United Spirit Arena on Thursday night, when Tech's home court was transformed into a stage for the Harlem Globetrotters.

"I always love seeing the Globetrotters," the Tech coach said. "They say they are ambassadors for basketball, and they are unbelievable ambassadors for basketball, have been for many years. I hope that they never end. It's a great organization."

Gillispie has developed a friendship in recent years with Marques Haynes, one of the original Globetrotters, who was inducted into the basketball hall of fame in 1998 and now resides in Dallas.

"What an inspiration he is," Gillispie said of the 85-year-old Haynes. "He tells us where he played 13,000 games, and these guys are worried about having to practice every day."

One of Gillispie's cherished coaching moments actually came against the Globetrotters.

In 2003, when Gillispie was coaching UTEP, the Globetrotters were able to field a competitive team to play exhibition games against college teams. (A rule change no longer allows such games.)

That fall, the Globetrotters had already defeated Michigan State and defending national champion Syracuse before arriving in El Paso to face the Miners, who were coming off a 6-24 season during Gillispie's first year as coach.

"We were the last team they were going to play," Gillispie said, "and all of the individuals (on the Globetrotters) were going to get a big bonus if they went undefeated."

They didn't.

In front of a packed house, Gillispie's Miners squeaked out an 89-88 win in what he called "a very, very competitive game."

"There wasn't any five-man weave, throwing the ball off the backboard," Gillispie said of the Globetrotters' usual catalouge of tricks.

UTEP went on to finish 24-8 in the 2003-04 season, completing an 18-game turnaround that was the best in Division-I basketball that season.

"It was really a springboard for us as far as having success that entire year," Gillispie said.

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Before I interviewed another of the new Globetrotters (University of Wyoming's "Buckets" Blakes) this year, I did more Globetrotters research. I also have books and DVDs about the 'Trotters trials in earlier years.

There's some material online about that season when the 'Trotters playing some of the top NCAA Division 1 college teams, and of course the University of Texas at El Paso beat the 'Trotters when UTEP was considered a pushover ... and well, I just cannot imagine how the crowd must have been cheering.

Again, thanks for sharing a little known story about UTEP, Billy Gillispie and a team called the Globetrotters.